MATCH REPORTThe spin duo of Saurabh Kumar and Rahul Chahar sparkled with the ball to bundle out New Zealand A for 237 and hand India A the first-innings lead on the second day of the third unofficial Test here on Friday.
Slow left-arm orthodox bowler Saurabh (4-48) and leg-spinner Chahar (3-53) shared seven wickets between them to bowl out New Zealand A in 71.2 overs and hand India A lead of 56 runs in the first innings of the four-day game.
At stumps, India A were 40/1 in 11 overs, extending their overall lead to 96 runs. Abhimanyu Easwaran (4) was the lone Indian wicket to fall in their second innings, LBW to Sean Solia.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored a century in the first innings was batting on 18 in the company of skipper Priyank Panchal (17). Earlier, New Zealand A made a torrid start to their innings in reply to India A's 293, losing half of their side inside 100 runs.
After Shardul Thakur (1-33) and Mukesh Kumar (2-48) gave the initial breakthroughs, Chahar joined the party and picked up the wickets of Dane Cleaver (34) and captain Tom Bruce (13) to reduce New Zealand A to 99/5. But Mark Chapman and Solia resurrected the visitors' innings, stitching 114 runs for the sixth wicket.
While Chapman made a quick 91 off 115 balls, with the help of eight boundaries and two hits over the fence, Solia's knock was decorated with seven fours.
Saurabh broke the dangerous-looking partnership with the wicket of Chapman and then dismissed two more New Zealand A batters -- Solia and Joe Walker -- in the 66th over to hand India A the upper hand. Chahar and Saurabh then wrapped up New Zealand A's innings in no time.
Brief Scores: India A: 293 & 40 for 1 in 11 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 18 not out, Priyank Panchal 17 not out; Sean Solia 1/20) vs New Zealand A: 237 all out in 71.2 overs (Mark Chapman 92, Sean Solia 54; Saurabh Kumar 4/48, Rahul Chahar 3/53).
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